Grenfell Support News, Issue 14, March 16, 2018

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16 March 2018 I Issue No: 14

Grenfell Support News

Important
update on
fire doors

We know that residents will be concerned
after hearing that an issue with a fire door
from Grenfell Tower was identified.

Police tests discovered that a fire
door from Grenfell Tower which was
believed to resist fire for up to 30
minutes - as required by building
regulations - failed after approximately
15 minutes.

Like hundreds of councils and
landlords across the country, we are
in contact with Government and the
police to understand what this means
for our buildings and our residents.

To properly understand what has
happened, the Government has
instructed that additional testing
and inspections of fire doors from
the same batch of doors installed at
Grenfell and a sample of other doors
takes place.

As soon as we have clear advice from
the Government about the safety
implications of these tests, we will
write to our residents about what this
means for them. The Government are
currently telling local authorities that
fire safety advice remains unchanged.
We are urging the Government to
move as quickly as it can to give us
clarity about the situation.

Following the transfer of the borough's
housing stock from Kensington
and Chelsea Tenant Management
Organisation to the Council, we are
continuing the five-year programme to
replace and upgrade fire doors across
homes in the borough.

IN THIS EDITION

1 Important update on
fire doors

2 Update on the Grenfell
Tower site

2 NEW drop-in advice
and information event -
21 March

2 Family Friends support
service

2 Return of personal
possessions

2 International Women's
event *Women Together
for Grenfell'

3 Activities Programme

at The Curve Community
Centre

4 Support services on offer

4 Housing update

4 Community kitchen garden
opens

4 Care for Grenfell

More information on fire advice is available from central Government:

www.gov.uk/government/news/fire-safety-advice-unchanged-after-issue-

identified-with-fire-door

For regular updates please follow us

fa

@grenfellsupport

facebook.com/

grenfellsupport

www.grenfellresponse.org.uk

The newsletter is also available in
Arabic and Farsi languages.

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Grenfell Support News

16 March 2018

Update on the Grenfell

After the tragedy in June, one of the first
priorities for the independent site
management team was to ensure the
Tower was safe for people living nearby
and also to give safe access to the
police, so the investigation can continue.
The police investigation work should
finish by May 2018. Specialist advice is
being taken by the team on next steps

Tower site

to continue to keep the site safe.

In last week's newsletter we confirmed
that the local community, supported by
the Council, will lead on a decision about
the longer term future of the site and
will have the final say about what
happens to it. In the meantime, we
understand that many people find the
sight of Grenfell Tower distressing.

The process of covering the Tower
is expected to be completed by
10June2018. There are continuing
conversations with families and relatives
about whether an artwork
or other remembrance idea is
appropriate for the white covering
itself, and we will keep you updated
on any further decisions.

NEW drop-in advice and information event
- 21 March

A drop-in advice and information event
which is to replace the next Grenfell
Scrutiny Recovery Committee meeting
will be held at the Museum of
Brands, Lancaster Road, W111QT
on Wednesday 21 March The
meeting will run from 3pm to 8pm.
Officers will be on site to answer
questions, and give one-to-one

information on the ongoing Grenfell
response. Everyone is welcome to
come along.

The Council will also organise additional
private drop-in sessions for former
residents of Grenfell Tower and
Grenfell Walk, who will be contacted
directly with further details.

Family Friends support service

Family Friends UK, a charity set up to
support disadvantaged families living
in Kensington and Chelsea,
Hammersmith and Fulham and
South East Brent, runs a special
programme for families affected by
the Grenfell tragedy. The free
programme gives extra support to
families affected by the tragedy,
either directly or indirectly.

Family Friends matches a reliable,
trained, screened and supervised
volunteer to a family, who provides
three months of practical and
emotional support in the family's
home. The programme offers two

hours of support each week.

There are two schemes:

Child Mentoring - for a child/siblings
aged five-16

Parent Befriending - for parents of
a child aged 0-16 years.

Opening times: 9.30am to 5.30pm

Address details: Family Friends,

73 St Charles Square, London
W10 6EJ

Telephone: 020 8960 9099

Email: info@familyfriends.uk.com

Website: www.familyfriends.uk.com

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Return of
personal
possessions

The Tower is still treated as a
crime scene by the police, and
therefore the return of personal
property is taking time. All items
recovered have to be logged,
cleaned and documented by
Kenyon International, the specialist
contractor doing the work.

They have a website with
detailed information on what is
happening to your property.

Please visit

www.kenyoninternational.com/
grenfell. You can ring them on
01344 316662. You can also contact
Matt Hogan, Site Project Manager on

07920 534378.

International
Women's event
'Women Together
for Grenfell'

Date: Saturday 24 March
Time: 4pm to 9pm

Location: The Tabernacle,

Powis Square, W11 2AY

Come along and share your stories,
hear from inspirational speakers,
network, eat and drink. Wheelchair
access and creche available.

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Grenfell Support News

16 March 2018

Activities Programme at The Curve Community Centre

Saturday 17 March

• llam-lpm - Coffee morning to
celebrate St Patrick's Day

• 2pm-5pm - Community Mosaic
Workshop with Emily with light
refreshments (please book)

Monday 19 March

• lOam-lpm - Five-week textile
course (please book)

• 12pm-3pm - More learning and
play (please book)

• 3pm-5pm - ESOL CV and job search
workshops (please book)

• 5pm-7pm - Homework Club
(ages 11-16)

• 5pm-7pm - Young people's support

• 6pm-8pm - ESOL - English for
beginners classes (please book)

Tuesday 20 March

• 9.30am-12pm - ESOL - English for
beginners (please book)

• 9.30am-2.30pm - Assertiveness
training (day 1)

• 10am-3pm - Fouzia's Sewing Club:
sew, stitch and knit

• 10.30am-12.30pm - Helping
children deal with loss

• 12.30pm-2pm - ESOL - English for
beginners classes (please book)

• 5pm-6pm - Children's yoga
(ages five-12)

• 6pm-7pm - Adult yoga

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Wednesday 21 March

• 9.30am-2.30pm - Assertiveness
training (day two)

• 10am-12pm - Coffee morning

• 4pm-4.45pm - Healthy snack time

• 5pm-7pm - Homework Club
(ages five-11)

• 6pm-8pm - ESOL - English for
beginners classes (please book)

Thursday 22 March

• 10.30am-12.30pm - Helping
children deal with loss

• 11am-12pm - Baby massage
with Semira

• 1pm-3pm - 5 to Thrive parenting
workshop with Danielle

• 2pm-4pm - ESOL CV and job
search workshops (please book)

• 4pm-4.45pm - Healthy snack time
(12 places available - drop-in)

• 4pm-5.45pm - MEND family activity

• 4pm-6pm - Therapeutic arts with
Emily (ages five-11)

Friday 23 March

• 9.30am-11.30am - English
communication and conversation
class with Midaye

• 9.30am-2.30pm - Developing
confidence (part two - please book)

• 1pm-3pm - Parent support drop-in

• 2pm-4pm - Back to work support
& advice (please book)

• 4pm-4.45pm - Healthy snack time
(12 places available - drop-in)

• 4pm-6pm - Celebrate Iranian
New Year (Nowruz) Come to The
Curve to celebrate Nowruz with
light refreshments including
traditional snacks!

The Creche is open 10am to 12pm
and 1pm to 3pm on Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday

and is for parents attending
appointments or courses at
The Curve. To book, please email:

Semira.Hassen@rbkc.gov.uk

The Curve Community Centre
opening hours are 10am to 8pm
Monday to Friday and 11am to

6pm on weekends.

Some sessions need to be booked
in advance to secure your place, so

email thecurve@rbkc.gov.uk and

they will confirm your reservation
by return.

For a full list of events visit

grenfellsupport.org.uk/
thecurve/events

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Grenfell Support News

16 March 2018

Support services
on offer

Anyone who would like to speak to the
police in relation to the investigation
into the fire is asked to contact the Met
Police on 0800 032 4539

Important Contacts

Cruse Bereavement Care

Call the Freephone helpline on

0808 8081677 or email
helpline@cruse.org.uk.

The helpline is open Monday-Friday
from 9.30am-5pm. Extended hours
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
evenings, until 8pm.

Replacement UK passports, visas
or immigration queries

Call our advice line on 0300 303 2832.
The line is open 24 hours.

Air quality and smoke exposure

If you have concerns about
any symptoms, please see
your doctor or call NHS 111.

Housing support

If you have any questions about
housing or want to find out who
your housing officer is please call

0800137 111 or 020 7361 3008

Victim support

Call 08081689 111 for practical and
emotional support, or visit

victimsupport.org.uk. The line
is open 24 hours a day.

The Grenfell Muslim
Response Unit also offers additional
support. Find out more byemailing

info@gmru.co.uk

You can also get physical and mental
support at The Curve Community
Centre. Call 07712231133

Hestia, Central and North West
London NHS Foundation Trust,
and the Drug and Alcohol Service

are based overnight at the Notting
Hill Methodist Church, Lancaster
Road, from 10pm to 8am.

Pop in for a chat and support.

Housing update

Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk

Grenfell

support

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Community kitchen garden opens

The opening of the community kitchen
garden at The Clement James
Centre and St Clement and St
James Church took place earlier this
month. The North Kensington Centre
and Church played a very special role
following lastjune's Grenfell Tower
tragedy. The centre's garden was a safe

space for survivors and evacuees. With
support from the Council, the garden
has now been expanded and a brand
new kitchen garden built. The project
has linked hundreds of people together
and encouraged neighbours to get to
know one another.

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Care for Grenfell

The Care for Grenfell team helps
anyone who has been affected by the
Grenfell tragedy and offers a single
point of access to all Council services
and support.

This phone line is open from 8am to
8pm and also provides an out-of-hours
service which can be reached on the
same number.

1 Call: 020 7745 6414 | Email: careforgrenfell@rbkc.gov.uk

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